Stropping holder for razor blades



April 12, 1932. HADDAWAY 1,854,136

STROPPING HOLDER FOR RAZOR BLADES Filed March 15, 1930 ATTOR NEY Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNTE SATES LEONARD HADDAWAY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK STROPPIN'G HOLDER FOR RAZOR BLADE-S Application filed March 13, 1930. Serial No. 435,539.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in blade holders, and is particularly directed to holders for safety razor blades for use when the blades are tobe sharpened or stropped.

A main object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, efficient, economically constructed and easily operated holder into which the blade to be stropped can quickly and easily be inserted. 7 i p A further object is to provide a compact, durable, and readily manipulated device which can be easily operated with one hand, after the blade is inserted therein, to efficiently stropv the blade A further object is to provide a simple and efficient device whereby more than one type or kind of blade may be inserted into the holder.

Further and more specific objects, features, and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description given below when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form part of the specification and which illustrate one or more present preferred forms of the invention.

As generally contemplated the invention concerns a simple strong frame or holder element which has, preferably along one edge,

a receiving channel into which is received an enlarged portion of a blade holding and gripping clamp member. The frame is provided with spring fingers or elements adj acent each side of the blade clamp along the channel to permit a slight and free pivotal movement of the clamp member in the frame as the frame is gripped in the hand and m swung or oscillated back and forth across the strop in the usual manner to sharpen the blade. The blade clamp member is provided with simple and effective means whereby more than one type may be received therein and firmly clamped therein and as easily removed therefrom.

The present preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the holder 0 in toto Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts f the device slightly separated;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 38 of Fig. 2;

v Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line l4 of Fig. 2; and I V Fig.5 is a perspective View of the blade clamping member modified to adapt it to receive another form of blade. I

The present preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings and comprises a frame member 10 having an enlarged rear edge llto enable the frame to be firmly gripped in the hand of the operator. This frame is preferably made of one piece of metal, preferably spring metal which is bent in half and, as stated above, is enlarged along the rear edge by curving the metal of the main plate.

Preferably the metal is split through along the lines 12 and 13 to the front edge thereof to form two central spring fingers such as M and 15. On each side of these spring fingers the opposed portions of the plate or metal are preferably fastened together as by rivets 16 and 17 Along the front edge of the frame 10 opposite the curved enlarged rear edge 11 the metal including the spring fingers 14- and 15 are curved like claws as shown at 18 and 19 to form a channel to receive a bolt such as 20 having a head 21 and a nut 22 on its opposite end. This bolt can be readily removed when desired.

In the channel formed between the spring fingers 14 and 15 there may be received the enlarged curvedportion such as 23 of a blade clamping plate 24 preferably made of one piece of metal bent over on itself. This plate 2 f} is also preferably'of spring metal so that the contiguous portions thereof tend to lie closely together and grip 'a'razor blade such as 25 therebetween. The opposite ends of the clamp plate or member 24: may have pivoted thereto the U-shaped locking members 26 which preferably tighten or hold the opposed portions of the-plate 24 together after a blade has been received therebetween.

In the form of this blade clamping memher shown in Figs. 1 to- 4, the bladesadapted m0 to'be received therein are preferably fiat;

but in the form of the clamping member shown in Fig. 5 other than fiat blades may be received since the front edge of the clamping member in this form is provided with a curved channel by bending the metal of the member as at 27 and 28 to receive the beaded portion along one edge of a blade such as the Gem type of razor blade. This clamp is also provided with the pivoted U-shaped tightening elements as above described.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that when a flat blade is inserted between the adjacent faces of the plate or clamping member 24, then the U-shaped elements are swung to the position shown in Fig. 1 to tighten the blade in place. Before this, however, the enlarged rear edge of this clamping member 24 is pushed in between the curved outer ends or claws of the spring fingers 14 and 15, which will spread to receive it, and then the bolt 20 is slipped into place and the nut 22 screwed in place. It may be, that the rear edge of the clamping plate 24 may be solid instead of hollow and that no bolt may be used; and then the clamping plate may be held in the frame 10 merely by the resilient strength of the spring fingers 14 and 15.

If another blade than the fiat type is to be sharpened, then the form of clamping plate shown in Fig. 5 is employed, which has the curved bead receiving channel mentioned above, and this can be inserted in the frame 10 as above mentioned. I

With the blade clamping member of the proper type thus inserted in the frame 10 as shown in Fig. 1, then the hand of the operator grips the frame 10 and swings it back and forth in the usual and well known stropping motion across a suitable strop, and the clamping blade member 24 will swing in the frame 10 since the curved and enlarged rear end of the member 24 will be capable of a cer tain small amount of movement between the spring fingers 14 and 15. Thus the opposite faces of the blade edge may be properly and easily positioned with respect to the surface of the strop. When the blade is sharp enough, then the elements such as 26 are swung back from the position shown in Fig. 1 and the blade can be easily pulled out from between the faces of the clamping plate 24.

If a new or difierent type of blade is to be sharpened, such as the Gem type blade, then the clamping plate shown in Fig. 5 is used. The plate 24 is pulled out from between the spring fingers 14 and 15 and then the plate shown in Fig. 5 is inserted in its place and the operation is repeated with this new form of plate in place.

lVhile the invention has been described in detail and with respect to present preferred forms thereof, it is not limited to such details and forms since many changes and modifications may be made and the invention embodied in other forms and modifications without departing from the spirit and scgpe of the invention in its broadest aspects. ence it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language or scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is:

A manually operable stropping device which comprises a frame to be gripped in the hand, the front edge of the frame curved to form a continuous channel therealong, a portion of said channel being formed by a pair of opposed spring fingers with curved free ends, a blade gripping member having a curved enlarged hollow bead along its rear edge adapted to be received between said spring fingers and permit a relative movement of the member in stropping the blade, a bolt adapted to extend through the aligned channel portions of the frame and the member to hold them together, said blade gripping member comprising a pair of plates adapted to receive a blade therebetween and laterally swinging clamping members pivotally secured to the blade gripping member adjacent the sides thereof and adapted to press the pair of plates toward each other to hold tightly a razor blade therebetween.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature.

LEONARD HADDAWAY. 

